1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer-aided design or drafting software.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Many industries use computer-aided design (“CAD”) software (such as AUTOCAD, REVIT, 3DS MAX, SKETCHUP) to design and create three-dimensional computer models. Increasingly, users of conventional design software utilize this software to display three-dimensional models to clients, investors, and other individuals. The conventional focus of many conventional design software programs is on designing and creating three-dimensional computer models, and not on displaying, navigating, and sharing the three-dimensional models. As such, some conventional design software programs make displaying, navigating, and sharing the three-dimensional models difficult, inefficient, or ineffective.
For example, some conventional design software may render three-dimensional models for display that do not have a realistic appearance. In particular, the version of the three-dimensional model rendered by the conventional design software may not incorporate the full details of the three-dimensional model. For example, the rendered version of the model may not include details such as shading, color, finish, and transparency. Conventional design software that is able to create a realistic appearance by rendering and displaying sufficient details of a three-dimensional model can tend to require an excessive amount of computing power and time to display and navigate.
In addition, the navigational control tools that some conventional design software programs use to view three-dimensional models may not be natural or intuitive. The absence of intuitive navigational control tools in some conventional design software can make viewing and appreciating all aspects of a three-dimensional design difficult or time consuming. One will appreciate that the lack intuitive navigational control tools can make it particularly difficult for a person unfamiliar with the software (i.e., clients, investors) to navigate a three-dimensional model quickly and effectively.
Conventional design software can also have limited ability to share three-dimensional models with individuals that are not in the same location as the designer. For example, some conventional design software requires the designer to save or export the model into a file and send file (e.g., by email) to a desired viewer. The size alone of some three-dimensional model files can make transferring and sharing of the model difficult.
Additionally, in order to open and view the three-dimensional model file, the viewer is often required to own and have installed on his or her computer the same software as the designer. Often, it is not practical for all desired viewers of a particular design to have the same design software. This is due, in part, to the fact that conventional design software can be rather expensive, the viewer may not be in the design business, or the viewer simply prefers a brand of design software that is not the same as the designer's.
Furthermore, even in the event that the desired viewer has the same design software as the designer, the designer may not want to provide others with a digital copy of the three-dimensional model. For instance, when sharing a three-dimensional model using some conventional design software, the saved or exported computer design file can contain the visual aspects of the design as well as proprietary data concerning the design. One will appreciate that sharing all of the data associated with a three-dimensional model can be undesirable because the data could easily be misappropriated by a viewer. Moreover, the viewer may also have the ability to make edits to the design data, thereby changing the design and the designer's original intent.
In order to avoid the security risks associated with conventional design software, including those identified above, many designers resort to simply capturing a limited number of selected static views of a three-dimensional model. In some cases, these views can be combined into a video file. The designers might then provide copies of the static views or the video file, either electronically or by hard copy, to the desired viewers. While sharing static images or a video of a three-dimensional model may resolve some of the complications and risks associated with conventional design software, there can be drawbacks with sharing only certain views of a three-dimensional model. For example, the viewer cannot navigate through the three-dimensional model and see all of the different angles and lines that would be possible with a three-dimensional computer model.
According, there are a number of problems in the art that can be addressed.